Welcome to the latest update on the proposed new State Highway 3 route to connect the Manawatū, Tararua District, Hawke’s Bay and northern Wairarapa, to replace the closed SH3 Manawatū Gorge route.

The proposed road corridor, looking towards Woodville.

Notice of Requirement

A Notice of Requirement (NoR) to designate land for the proposed road corridor will be lodged later this month with the Manawatū District, Palmerston North City and Tararua District Councils. The NoR is a critical step to obtain statutory Resource Management Act (RMA) approvals to authorise the proposed new road across the Ruahine Ranges.

The designation we are seeking will:

· identify the land corridor within which the proposed road will be constructed;

· provide a framework within which the design of the new road and any mitigation must occur;

· provide certainty for the community and affected landowners about location and the nature of the works, and

· protect the designated land from activities that may compromise the proposed work.

Once we have lodged the NoR, the local councils (Manawatū District Council, Tararua District Council and Palmerston North City Council) will publicly notify the documentation and allow people and groups to lodge submissions with the councils. A public hearing will then be held where the NZ Transport Agency and all submitters are able to be heard.

Following the designation process, additional RMA consents will need to be obtained from Horizons Regional Council to authorise works such as earthworks, discharges to ground and water, as well as works in streams and rivers. These consents will be applied for once the detailed design of the project has been developed.

Public Information Sessions

We will be holding a series of information sessions where you can view our Notice of Requirement. We will present information on the current preliminary design, what effects construction will have and how we intend to mitigate these. We will also show an updated flyover animation.

We will be holding the sessions in early November in Palmerston North, Feilding, Ashhurst, Woodville, Dannevirke and Pahīatua. Once we have finalised the dates and venues, we will notify you via email, and will advertise the sessions in the Manawatu Standard, the Dannevirke News and on social media.

Ashhurst

Minor works have commenced, with some resealing of the pavement on Cambridge Ave, and the removal of several large trees in the school field next to Salisbury Street. These trees were dying and considered a risk to the surrounding community, the school and the road. The removal of these trees gives us the room we need to construct the new school fence along the back of the school. The new fence should be completed within the next week.

We are finalising the package of traffic mitigation measures and will be communicating details to residents of Ashhurst and surrounding areas over the next few weeks. Please email us at ashhurst@nzta.govt.nz if you want to be on our mailing list for more detailed updates on Ashhurst and surrounding areas.

Alternative routes

The signage on the Saddle Road is currently being reviewed and new improved signage will be installed within the next month.

Wet weather is making maintenance of the Saddle Road difficult, with only minor pothole patching possible at present. The Transport Agency is planning more extensive maintenance once the weather improves and will operate west bound closures while this work is underway. We do apologise for any inconvenience – we appreciate that the commute is already difficult, however we must ensure we are maintaining the road. The good news is the need for one lane closures will reduce as the maintenance work improves the standard of the road over time.

The Saddle Road upgrade project will continue this year with the road works at the summit. We will also be completing various overlays to improve the strength of the road, which should reduce the need for maintenance works. Work will also continue on the extensive maintenance programme on the Pahīatua Track.

We are now starting the realignment works near Woodville, which will improve the safety and efficiency of the intersections and rural roads around Woodville. There will be some delays as we progress the two corner realignments at Woodlands Road, but we will endeavour to keep any disruptions to a minimum. We expect to complete these works by Christmas.

Manawatū Gorge update

The indefinite closure of SH3 through the gorge remains in place. Our latest geotechnical assessment shows ongoing movement in the area around Kerry’s Wall, with the risk too high to allow the public past the site. The Transport Agency will be clearing the drainage channels and culverts in the gorge, so vehicles will be visible entering and leaving the gorge at Ballance.

We will continue to provide information on roadworks on the alternative routes, the Saddle Road and the Pahīatua Track, on our regional Facebook page www.facebook.com/nztacni/

More information

If you have any questions or want to give us feedback, please drop us a line at manawatugorge@nzta.govt.nz and we will get back to you within three working days. Or you can ring us on 0800 740560.